What it takes to make a queen bee

Honeybees offer an insight into epigenetics, the interaction between genetic factors and the environment in shaping the development of an individual.

In a colony of honeybees, a fertilised egg can develop into a queen or a worker—depending on the diet provided to the developing bee. Early on, all bee larvae are fed a substance called royal jelly, which is a gelatinous substance produced in the head glands of ‘nurse’ bees. Royal jelly is composed of approximately two-thirds water, one-eighth proteins, 11 per cent simple sugars, small quantities of Vitamin C and various trace minerals and enzymes.

Any female egg can develop into a queen—depending on her diet

After three days, those larvae destined to become workers receive no more royal jelly; instead, their diet switches to bee bread (a mixture of pollen, nectar and honey). In contrast, those larvae chosen to become queens are fed only royal jelly for the remainder of their lives.

This exclusive diet of royal jelly is essential for the development of queen bees and it involves what is known as an epigenetic process. Epigenetics is the study of the way in which the environment affects gene expression. The larvae that develop into queen bees or worker bees are genetically identical, yet as adults they are so different they appear like completely different organisms. Worker bees are smaller, have different anatomy and behaviour, die after stinging and are relatively short lived (typically, active workers live between five and seven weeks, while queen bees can live for four to five years).

The exclusive diet of royal jelly triggers the development of queen bees

Royal jelly is an incredibly complex substance and it contains many unusual and still poorly understood compounds. We do know that it includes compounds that are known to influence gene expression. Yet, recent research suggests that it may not be the royal jelly that makes a queen bee, but that the specific exclusion of other natural plant-based chemicals present in bee bread (specifically pollens) could be responsible. In other words, exposure to natural pollen causes the chemical castration of the worker bees.

Regardless, this does give us an answer to the age-old question: nature or nurture? Epigenetics tells us that it is both.

This article was adapted from Academy website content reviewed by the following expert: Professor Boris Baer Professor for Pollinator Health, Centre for Integrative Bee Research, Department of Entomology, University of California